Windows Photo and Fax Viewer is a built-in Windows component that allows you to perform basic image editing tasks on faxes, business logos, photos and other images without needing a third-party photo editing program. You can also create custom slide show presentations using the software. Photo and Fax Viewer was discontinued after the release of Windows XP and replaced with the Windows Photo Gallery. Unlike Photo and Fax Viewer, Photo Gallery is not a built-in component and is included with the free Windows Essentials suite of products.

1. Click Start and type “photo gallery” (without quotes here and throughout) in the Search box. Select “Windows Photo Gallery” if it appears in the search results; otherwise, continue following the steps below.

2. Visit the Photo Gallery download site and download the installation file.

3. Launch the installer and select “Choose the program you want to install,” unless you want to install all the products in the Microsoft Essentials suite.

5. Reboot your system if instructed to do so. Photo Gallery will show up in the Start menu in the “All Programs” list.

Tips

If you’re running Windows XP and cannot find Windows Photo and Fax viewer, you can run a repair by reregistering the components' Dynamic Link Library, or DLL file. Log in to your computer as an administrator, click Start and then “Run.” Type the following in the box and click “OK:”

regsvr32 %systemroot%\system32\shimgvw.dll

You should receive a message box stating that the DLL registration was successful.

Warning

Information in this article applies to Windows XP and Windows 7. It may vary slightly or significantly with other versions or products.

About the Author

A writer and proofreader since 2006, B. Steele also works as an IT Help Desk analyst, specializing in consumer and business user tech support. She earned a B.A. in English and journalism from Roger Williams University. Steele also holds certifications as a Microsoft-certified desktop support technician, Microsoft-certified IT professional, Windows 7 enterprise support technician and CompTIA A+ IT technician.